Imamology, Lesson 76-78: The Commander of the believer’s leaving for Hajj from Yemen to Mecca

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The Commander of the believer’s leaving for Hajj from Yemen to Mecca

It must be known that those great many people who journeyed along with the Messenger of Allah to Mecca were mostly from Medina and the places nearby to Medina, but the people coming from other towns and lands, such as Yemen outnumbered the gathering. The Commander of the believers and Abu Musa Ash‘ari ^[46]  too came via Yemen and joined the Messenger of Allah in Mecca.

Note: in the year tenth after immigration, the Holiness Messenger of Allah sent Khalid bin Walid and a group of the people to Yemen to invite the people to Islam. Khali bin Walid and his army stayed in Yemen for six months but his try fell flat.^[47]

Then, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, sent the Commander of the believers along with three hundred men to Yemen. Before their setting out, the Holiness Messenger entrusted a flag to him, put a turban on his head with the fringes hung in front and behind ^[48] and commanded: ‘When you enter Yemen dispose Khalid from his position! However, if anyone in his army wants to be with you accept him, and let return Medina anyone who wants to return with Khalid. And try not to fight with the people of Yemen unless they initiate it.’ 

It was the first army who entered that land which is known as ‘The Land of Mazhej’ in ‘Najran’.^[49]

For collecting the due welfare taxes and obtaining the booties, the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace, sent to the different places and they gathered some booties. The Holiness assigned Baridat ibn al-Hosaib Aslami ^[50] over those booties, and then, began inviting the people to accept the Islam, but they denied it and started arrows and throwing stones at them.

The Holiness arrayed the army and delivered the banner to Masoud bin Sanan Sollami then he attacked them; twenty of the enemies were killed and the rest escaped. The Holiness did not chase those on run, but later on, he invited them to Islam. They earnestly accept it and embraced the Islam. The Tribe of Hamdan turned to Islam without fighting; as soon as the Commander of the believers read them the letter of the Messenger of Allah, they embraced the Islam.

The Holiness wrote the outcome of the Tribe of Hamdan to the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, and the Messenger, as thanksgiving, prostrated three times and thrice said: ‘السلام على همدان‏’ ‘peace be upon Hamdan’, and then, people began embracing Islam one after another.^[51]

To take one fifth of the booties and the due welfare tax, the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace, drew lots: he divided the booties into five and before doing anything, he sealed one fifth of it and put it aside as the due welfare tax to send it to the Messenger of Allah; then, he divided the rest four shares among the army.

It has been put in the “ERSHAD” of Mofid and “ILAJ-e-SHARAYE‘” of Sadough that: the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, wrote a letter to the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace, in Yemen to go to Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage, but the Messenger of Allah did not point out what kind of garment of Hajj he would wear.^[52] The Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace, along with his army and the booties that they taken for Yemen set out for Mecca. On the way they wore the pilgrimage garb and in Mecca they joined the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants.^[53]

The departure of the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, from Medina to Mecca was on Saturday 25^th of Dhul-Gha‘da, after the midday prayer, because according to the numerous narratives, the Holiness left Medina five days before the month of Dhul-Gha‘da ended, as it is related:^[54] ‘لخمس بقين من ذى القعدة’. And secondly, the beginning of the day of Dhul-Gha‘da was absolutely Thursday, because without any difference, they have related that the Day of Arafa, when the Messenger of Allah lectured the sermon of Arafa was Friday; therefore, the Saturday is absolutely five days to Thursday which is the first of Dhul-Gha‘da. Anyhow, the month of Dhi-Hejja cannot be thirty days, because in that case the Saturday might be the 26^th, however, the history has recorded it as to be 25. And we cannot say that the Messenger of Allah left Medina on Friday, because according to the documents left from Anas bin Malik, the Messenger of Allah established his noon prayer in Medina in the normal way.^[55] And as the Friday noon-prayer must be established with two sermons, so it could not have been four rak‘ats; and, on the other hand, the departure of the Messenger of Allah cannot be assumed to be on Thursday, because there are six nights more left from the month of Dhul-Gha‘da, but not five nights – whereas, after Saturday there remains only five days.

Above all, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, had performed the ritual ablution, combed and scented his hair with oil, and had put on two pieces of garments of his, and after the noon-prayer left for Dhul Holaifa – a mile away from Medina. There, he established his evening prayer in two rak‘ats instead of four. And he had already appointed Abu dujana Semak bin Harsha Saedi or Seba bin Orfotah Ghheffari in his place.^[56]

The Highnesses Fatima, Upon Her be Peace, as well the wives of the Messenger of Allah dressed in the pilgrims state at Dhul Holaifa and started chanting ‘Here am I, O Allah’. And as they Hajj considered as the Separation Hajj, they had not take with them animals to slaughter there, therefore, their ritual task was saying: ‘Here am I, O Allah’. Then, they sat in their camel-cabins and moved forward – all nine wives of the Messenger were on that journey. However, the Messenger of Allah had taken animals with him to slaughter; they were a hundred camels: or in other word, sixty-six or sixty-four or sixty- three companies, which altogether with the animals of the Commander of the believers they were some about thirty companies – nearly a hundred. Among the camels which the Messenger of Allah had taken with him, there was one that was trained as the exemplary model by the Messenger himself at Dhul Holaifa.^[57] Then, he ordered his companions to do the same with the other animals – the Messenger’s Hajj considered as the greater pilgrimage and an exemplary. Finally, he mounted his camel and set out. When the camel started moving forward and they reached the desert, the Messenger and his companions started chanting:^[58]

لبيك! اللهم لبيك! لبيك لا شريك لك لبيك! ان الحمد و النعمة لك و الملك! لا شريك لك‏ ^[59]

‘Here Am I! O my Creator, Here Am I. Here am I, O that there is no partner to You, Here Am I! Certainly praises, blessings and Sovereignty are Yours; there is no partner to You!

Anyhow, at Dhul Holaifa, Asma the daughter of Omais,^[60] the wife of Abu Bakr, gave birth to Muhammad Abi Bakr.^[61] Asma sent a Message to the Messenger of Allah to know what her duty and responsibility was with her ritual rites.

The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, commanded her to dress her Hajj garment and chant “Here Am I, Allah’. To take a piece of cotton with her, to fasten her belt and just chant her ritual chanting.^[62]

The Holiness Imam Sādiq, Upon Him be Peace, has stated: ‘At the same time Asma was giving birth to a child, there was blessing for the other women in the caravan to give birth to babies or to menstruate. In that case, they would carry out what the Messenger of Allah had commanded Asma do and they would not violate their Hajj rites.^[63]

Asma entered Mecca with the same condition, then when the duration of her period ended, while her bleeding had not stopped, the Messenger of Allah commanded her to carry out the circumambulation and establish her prayer – she also did what the Messenger has order her to do.^[64]

Anyhow, because of Asma, the Messenger of Allah stayed at Dhul Holaifa that night,^[65] and then left there the next day morning along with the Muslims. How strange sight it was! In that vast desert, as far as one could see, people were walking or riding on the camels. All the people in front, behind and about the Messenger of Allah had performed their ritual ablutions and all were in their pilgrimage garbs and chanting ‘Here am I, O Allah!’ Their hearts were in the love of that Greatest Name of the Divine! With his Divine magnetic attraction, the Messenger of Allah had caused the people move, they were walking forward barefoot on the rough land towards the core of love, and all were chanting:

لبيك! اللهم لبيك! لبيك لا شريك لك لبيك! ان الحمد و النعمة لك و الملك! لا شريك لك‏

‘Here Am I! O my Creator, Here Am I. Here am I, O that there is no partner to You, Here Am I! Certainly praises, blessings and Sovereignty are Yours; there is no partner to You!

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The quality of pilgrim’s sanctity-garment wearing of the Messenger of Allah on the Farewell Hajj Pilgrimage

Ibn Jouzi Abul Faradj says: The Holiness Ja‘far bin Muhammad quotes his father, Upon Him be Peace, saying that: I asked Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari to explain to me the Hajj of the Messenger of Allah.

Jabir said: ‘During the nine years of staying in Medina, the Messenger of Allah had not taken any Hajj pilgrimage, and after such a long period of time, he announced that he was going to the Hajj pilgrimage. Almost everyone went to Medina and all were trying to follow the Messenger on the journey and perform their rites according to the rites of the Messenger.’

Jabir ways: We left Medina to Dhul Holaifa with the Messenger of Allah, there, the Messener of Allah established two turns of prayer in the mosque and then mounted his camel. The camel moved forward and in the desert I watched the animal’s moving until in a far distance I missed it. Then, I noticed that there were huge crowds moving before the Messenger of Allah, was where they on the right and the left of the Holiness – and also far behind his were still more people walking, trotting and loiter.

So the Messenger of Allah began chanting the Great Names of Allah by starting with:

 لبيك! اللهم لبيك! لبيك لا شريك لك لبيك! ان الحمد و النعمة لك و الملك! لا شريك لك‏ ^[66]

‘Here Am I! O my Creator, Here Am I. Here am I, O that there is no partner to You, Here Am I! Certainly praises, blessings and Sovereignty are Yours; there is no partner to You! It was then I saw that the dominion of the hearts and the controller of the souls had gathered that great many people around him and all were looking the butterflies winging around the lighted candle. He himself was mounting on a red-haired camel with only a shabby worn out rug on it. He had only a piece of worn out shabby cloth with him which I doubted to be worth more than four dirhams!

Ibn Kashir Damashqi, by his documents, has quoted Abu Bakr Bazzaz quoting Anas says that:

اِن النبى صلى الله عليه [و آله‏] و سلم حج على رحلٍ رثٍ و تحته قطِيفة و قال: حجة لا رياء فيها و لا سمعة.^[67]

‘The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, brought up his Hajj while he had no more than a worn out cloth as his rug to rest on; that is rug to sit and pray and even sleep on was a piece of cloth. And he would say: “This is a journey that there is no ostentation in it.”’

And Hafiz Abu Ya‘li Mosali quotes Anas saying that:

حج رسول الله صلى الله عليه [و آله‏] و آله و سلم على رحل رث و قطيفة تساوى- اولا تساوي - اربعة دراهم، فقال: اللهم حجة لا رياء فيها.^[68]

‘The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants,  ended up his Hajj pilgrimage by only having a worn out rug with him, it was a rug worth not more than four dirhams, and he used to say: “O Lord! This is a Holy journey that there is no ostentation in it.”’

Now, it must be taken into consideration that our Leader is the same Messenger who fulfilled his Hajj by having no more than a worn out rug with him. He is the same one who sacrifices a hundred camels to feed the needy for the sake of Allah. He even orders the Commander of the believers not to let the slaughtering butcher take the skins of the animals for him! For the sake of Allah, he shares all among the poor people! It has been stated:

و لكم فى رسول الله اسوة حسنة لمن كان يرجوا الله و اليوم الآخر و ذكر الله كثيرا.^[69]

‘…there is indeed a good example in [the behaviour of] the Messenger of Allah for you – for he who expects [the Grace of] Allah and the Last Day, and mentions Allah's remembrance much, (Qur’an: 33/21).’

Now, anyone of the rich among us who takes the Hajj pilgrimage does not sacrifice more than a sheep at Mina. So far, I have not heard one of them have slaughtered a camel there; even if they spend huge amount of money on Hajj and their wealth beyond imagination!

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Aisha’s objection to the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants

Some have related in the book “Sira-e-Halabeiia” that Aisha’s camel was very fast but carrying light luggage, but the camel of Safiia, one of Messenger’s another wives, was very slow with heavy load on, therefore, her camel was always far behind the caravan.

Therefore, the Messenger of Allah commanded to replace Safiia’s heavy luggage with the light luggage of Aisha’s. When his command was carried out, the Messenger of Allah went to Aisha to appreciate her and said to her: ‘O mother of Abdullah! Your luggage was little but the camel faster, but Safiia’s luggage was too heavy while her camel very slow, and as you know, it was the cause the caravan move very slowly! It was the main reason I replaced your luggage with her so that we move faster.’

Aisha answered, ‘What! Do you think that you are a Messenger?’  

The Highness stated: “O Umm Abdullah! Do you doubt about my being a Messenger?”

Aisha said: ‘So what has happened to you that you are not keeping the justice side?’

Aisha relates: My father, Abu Bakr, was very stern, he used to slap me on the face, but, the Messenger of Allah would object him for his harsh behaviour.

Once, to his objection, Abu Bakr said: ‘Do you not hear what she says?’

The Messenger of Allah stated:

دعها فان المراة الغيراء لا يعرف اعلى الوادى من اسفله.‏^[70]

‘Leave her on her own! Because she is ostentatious, she does not make out the upper part of the desert from the lower part!’

And they have related Ahmad bin Hanbal that by means of his document has quoted Asma, the daughter of Abu Bakr that: ‘When they dismounted their camels at the land known as ARJ, the camel carrying the luggage of the Messenger was lost; and Abu Bakr’s luggage was also on the same camel – and the camel-driver of the animal was the servant of Abu Bakr.

Abu Bakr asked the boy: ‘Where is the camel?’ The servant answered: ‘I lost it the night before!’

While Abu Bakr was on top of his anger and gazing at the boy furiously, he said: ‘We had only one camel and now you have lost it!’ Then, he began whipping the slave mercilessly. Right then, the Messenger of Allah turned to the people around and said: “Come on, look! He is wearing the garb of Hajj but how he is acting the opposite!” Then, the Messenger of Allah smiled but said no more.^[71]

When some of the companions got to know that the luggage carrying camel of the Messenger was lost, they brought Messenger some Hais, a certain kind of food made with flour, oil and dates, and put it in front of the Messenger. Then, the Messenger turned to irritated Abu Bakr, and said: “O Abu Bakr, take things easier! The affairs are neither in our hands nor in your hand! This servant was doing his best and was careful not to lose the animal. Now, this food is what Allah has sent us; this is in the place of that one we lost.”

Then, the Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr and those who were gathering around the Holiness started eating that food, all of them ate as much as they desired. At that time, Safwan bin Moattal, whose job was walking behind the caravan and looking after the lingering animals behind, came to them with the lost luggage carrying camel – the Messenger of Allah let the animal rest for a while. The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, turned to Abu Bakr saying: “Now, look and see if anything of you has been lost!”

Abu Bakr searched the luggage and said: ‘Nothing but a big water-drinking bowl is lost! The servant said that it was not lost but it was with him to drink water on the way.

When the news of the luggage-carrying camel of the Messenger reached Sa‘d bin Obda and his son, Ghais bin Sa‘d, they brought the Messenger a course of whole meal, and either of them said: ‘O Messenger, we heard that your luggage-carrying camel was lost, now, you can have this food instead of your lost foodstuff.’

The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, stated: “Allah has already sent us our provision! Now, you take back your food, may Allah bless both of you!” ^[72]

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The places that the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, visited on his Hajj pilgrimage

Mighrizi says: It was Sunday when the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, reached “YALAMLAM”,^[73] then he left there and had dinner at “SHARAF-us-SAYALA” and he also performed the sunset and evening prayers there. Then, he left the place and performed the dawn prayer at “ERGH-uz-ZABYA” and from there he moved to “RUHA”. He also passed RUHA and said his afternoon prayer at “MONSARAF”; and he established the sunset and evening prayers at “MOTA‘ASH‘SHI” and also had the dinner there. He said his dawn prayer at “ATHAYA”, and it was Tuesday morning when he reached “ARJ”; and at ARJ, which is known as “JOHFA”, they bridled ^[74] the camels for a while and then they left there and arrived at SOGHYA on Wednesday. Then, on Thursday, in the morning they were at ABWA, and established their prayers there. They arrived at JOHFA on Friday and from there they left for Ghodaif and arrived there on Saturday. They reached OSFAN on Sunday and from there they went to GHAMIM. There, those travelling on foot gathered around the Messenger and complained for their being on foot. The Holiness permitted them to trot instead of walking for it would warm them up. They did so and very soon they found that quite comfortable. So they went on and reached MARRWZ-ZAHRAN on Monday; they did not leave the place till evening until the sun sat in SARIF and before praying they got closer to Mecca. When they reached THANEIIATAIN (the two passes joined together) and they stayed there for the night, and then, they entered Mecca on Tuesday. ^[75]

It is also put in “TABAGHAT” that the Messenger of Allah reached Marroz Zahran on Monday, and the sun set when the Holiness was at Sarif, he stayed there until the next morning he performed the ritual ablution and entered Mecca.^[76] Of course, it is obvious that as it was Thursday, the first day of Dhul Hijja, the main ritual entering of the Holiness would be Tuesday, the sixth of Dhul Hijja.

However, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, stopped at Sarif which was six miles to Mecca. When still there, he commanded all the pilgrims to alter their intentions from the Hajj pilgrimage into the Minor Hajj and perform their ritual chanting to suit the Minor Hajj, and then to enter Mecca and perform the rites of Umra. The exception was those who had brought animals with them to slaughter – they had to adhere to their Hajj intentions until slaughtering their animals. The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, and some others had brought animals with them to slaughter.^[77]

The Highness Fatima, Upon Her be Peace, and all the believing women, as well as nine of Allah’s Messenger’s wives turned their intentions from the Personal Hajj into the Minor Hajj and started chanting their “LAB‘BAIKA”; and Aisha had also already turned her intention from the Personal Hajj into the Minor Hajj and chanted the “LAB‘BAIKA”. However, in the same place of SARIF her menstruation started, and it is clear that a menstruating cannot enter the Holy Shrine. She cannot circumambulate nor can she pray, however, a Minor Hajj needs all those three: entering the Holy Shrine, circumambulation and prayer.

She has related: The Messenger of Allah came to me while I was crying, so he asked: “Why are you crying? Is it that you have the period of the menstruation?” I answered, Yes, by Allah, I did not like to follow you on this journey! The Messenger of Allah stated: “Do not say so! This is a command that Allah has enjoined it for the all females of Adam! Whatever they have been enjoined, you have been enjoined as well.

“Now, you chant your “LAB‘BAIKA”, leave your Minor Hajj, have intention and wear your Hajj garment, and then perform what a pilgrim does. It is but you are not going to circumambulate,^[78] then when you ended up your period perform the circumambulation and end up your pilgrimage rites.”

Aisha says: I entered Mecca but did not go into the Shrine, and although I was in the state of menstruation, I stayed in Arafat, and then when on the eve of Arafat I was cleansed, I circumambulated the House of Allah, and trotted between the Safa and Marwa and then ended up my Hajj rites.^[79]

This was a kind of a Hajj that only Aisha performed; the Personal Hajj that Minor Hajj was not included. However, as soon as Zahra, Upon Her be Peace, and the other wives of the Messenger of Allah, as well the wives of the Muslims entered Mecca, they performed their Personal Hajj and then got free of the state of ritual taboo. Then, on the eighth of Dhul Hijja, the day of MOISTENING they wore the Hajj garbs and started chanting “LAB‘BAIKA” on their way to Arafat. They performed their Hajj rites at Mash‘ar and Mina, and also circumambulated the House, established their prayer and then trotted between the Safa and Marwa. They brought up the rites of their Hajj and got free of the state of ritual taboo. Therefore, on this journey, they fulfilled a complete Minor Hajj and a Hajj Pilgrimage which is called the Greater Pilgrimage.

Then, when the Holiness Messenger of Allah ended up the certain days of the Hajj, and the three days following the Day of Immolation-sacrifice, he returned towards Mecca. The Holiness stayed at MOHASSAB ^[80] (a place between Mecca and Mina), and he established the noon and evening, as well the sunset and the late evening prayers there. There, Aisha said: O Messenger of Allah! Let me return from here to Medina and just perform a Hajj without a Minor Hajj!

Therefore, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, called her brother, Abd-ur-Rahman bin Abi Bakr, and told him: “Take your sister out of the Shrine and when she wore her Hajj garbs and then ended up her circumambulation, do bring her here, at MOHASSAB! Thus, Allah destined her a Minor Hajj; and it is related somewhere else that: When we left the Shrine, at TANEEM ^[81](the outskirt of the Shrine) made our intentions and wore the Hajj garment instead of the previous Hajj I had missed;^[82] then, in the mid-night we performed our Hajj rites and returned MOHASSAB.^[83]

She says: when we were back, the Messenger of Allah asked me: “Did you finish your Hajj rites and circumambulation?” I had the honour to say: ‘Yes, I did!’ ^[84]

After performing a ritual ablution in the morning of Tuesday, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, left MOHASSAB for Mecca, and at sunrise, by THANIIA OLYA, (a pass above the level of Mecca), which is called KADA‘A, he entered Mecca. (KADA‘A THANIIA OLYA) is the same place that leads to the Mecca and now is called “GAHOON”.

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The Messenger of Allah's, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, proclaiming His greatness when witnessing the House of Allah

And he entered The Sacred Mosque through the Gate of Abd Manaf, the Gate of Bani Shaiba which is now called the “BAB AS-SALAM”. When he caught sight of Ka‘ba – the House of Allah – he raised his hand high^[85] and said “The Greatest is Allah” and then said:

 اللهم انت السلام، و منك السلام، فحينا ربنا بالسلام! اللهم زد هذا البيت تشريفا و تعظيما، و مهابة و برا، و زد من شرفه و كرمه ممن حجه او اعتمره تشرِيفا و تكرِيما و تعظيما و بِرّا. ^[86]

‘O Allah! You are the fact of Peace, the name of Peace and Knower of the Peace and security! And Peace is gifted by You the Holiness to the entire world! So, my Creator, give us salvation and salutation by Your Peaceful Name! And do fill our souls with Your Peace and Serenity!’

O Creator! Do increase the greatness, nobility, magnitude and the benevolence of this House! And do bestow of its nobility, greatness and generosity to those who perform the Hajj pilgrimage and the Minot Hajj.’

There is a narrative by Jabir bin Abdullah saying that: When we entered Mecca the sun had already raised, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, got closer to the Gate of the Sacred Mosque, let his camel kneel down and then entered the Shrine. He first went to the Black Stone, and while tears were running down from his eyes, the Holiness touched the Stone and then began circumambulating the House. He finished the course and then went to the Black Stone and started kissing it and touching it then gently resting his hands on his face. ^[87]

And there is another story from Ekrama saying that: I saw the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, prostrating in front of the Black Stone.^[88]

And there is a narrative from Shafiee saying that the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, stood in front of the Black Stone, touched it and for a long time rested his lips on it and gave kisses to it. And whenever the Holiness kissed it said:

 بسم الله و الله اكبر.

 ‘In the name of Allah, and the Greatest is Allah.’

And he kept saying to Omar:

 انك رجل قوى لا تزاحم على الحجر (اى الاسود) تؤذى الضعيف، ان وجدت خلوة فاستلمه و الا فاستقبله و هلل و كبر ^[89]

‘You are a strong man, but you are hurting the people! By hasting for the Black Stone do not trouble the people! When you find it private around then get closer and touch it; otherwise stand in the front of it and say: Allah is the Greatest!’

After circumambulating the House, the Holiness Messenger, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, established to turns of prayer behind the station of Abraham. In the first turn, he recited the chapter قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ ‘Say: O you the disbelievers! And in the second turn the chapter of: قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ‘Say: He is Allah, the One. Then he went to the ZAMZAM well, someone drew a bucket of water for the Holiness, he drank some of the water and put the rest back in the bucket and emptied it into the well again and said: “If people did not take water drawing from the well in the palms as a custom and tradition, I would draw the water out from the well with my own hands.”

Then the Holiness returned to the Black Stone and touched it and went towards the 'Săfā and Mărwăh' reciting this verse:

إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَآئِرِ اللّهِ فَمَنْ حَجَّ الْبَيْتَ أَوِ اعْتَمَرَ فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا وَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَإِنَّ اللّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيمٌ.

‘…indeed the 'Săfā and Mărwăh' are the symbols of Allah, so whoever makes the Hajj Pilgrimage to the House, or [visits it] as the ‘Minor Hajj', there is no sin upon him if he trots along between them.  Moreover, anyone who voluntarily does some more honourable [trots,] then [let him know that] Allah is indeed Knowing Grateful, (Qur’an: 2/158).’ ^[90]

Then, he stated:^[91] أبدأ بِما بدالله ‘I begin from Săfā as Allah has commenced His Word from Săfā;’ after that he climbed the Mount Săfā where the House of Allah was visible and he turned his face towards it and said thrice: الله اكبر الله اكبر الله اكبر ‘Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.’ And soon after he recited: ‘There is no deity but Allah, and then continued saying:

لا اله الا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك و له الحمد، يحيى و يميت، و هو على كل شى‏ء قدير، لا اله الا الله وحده، انجز وعده، و نصر عبده، و هزم الاحزاب وحده.‏

Then he prayed and repeated his supplication twice more to be three times altogether.

After that he came down the mountain and set out for Marwa, when he found his position, he started trotting up to the MASIL^[92] and there he began walking. All the way on the course of Marwa he repeated the prayer and supplication he had on the Mount of Săfā; he did the same. Then he returned towards Săfā while trotting and there he left the course near the BATN MSIL. Next he re-climbed the Mount of Săfā and while facing the House, he said: There is no deity except Allah, he supplicated and prayed as he did before. Again he came down to the course of Săfā and did six times more the same order until it was seven times when he ended it up on Marwa’s side. ^[93]

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The separation of the Hajj pilgrimage and the minor Hajj before the farewell Hajj

We must know that at that age, the Hajj pilgrimage and the Minor Hajj were two quite separate from one another.

The Hajj Pilgrimage included: wearing the pilgrim’s garbs from the appointed time and place, staying at Arafat and Mash‘ar, fulfilling the holy rites of Mina, the circumambulation the House of Allah, praying, trotting between Săfā and Marwa; and of course, these actions would take place in special months assigned for the Hajj pilgrimage. As He states: الحج اشهر معلومات‏ ‘…the Hajj Pilgrimage is in the specific months, (Qur’an: 2/ 197).’

The Hajj Pilgrimage had to be taken in the certain months of (Shawwal, Dhul-Gha‘da and Dhul-Hijja); if someone fulfilled it other than these certain months, it was considered to be void.

The Minor Hajj included: wearing the pilgrim’s garbs from the appointed time and place, the circumambulation the House of Allah, praying, trotting between Săfā and Marwa; and of course, having the hair shaved. And this kind of Hajj had no a certain and specific time to be fulfilled; it could happened in any month of the year and any day and time.

And as the Hajj pilgrimage was enjoined by Allah and it became incumbent by Him, as it is stated:

 وَلِلّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا‘…

and it is the duty of the men towards Allah to come to the House as the pilgrims – for the people who can afford it, (Qur’an: 3/97).’

It was assigned for whoever was rich enough that in one of the months of

Shawwal, Dhul-Gha‘da or up to the eighth of Dhul-Hijja to wear the pilgrimage garbs and go to Arafat on the day ninth and fulfill his Hajj pilgrimage – he had to get ready and fulfill it.

And whoever was well-to-do, the Minor Hajj would be incumbent to him that the same time he had to take it – to wear the pilgrimage garbs at the assigned starting point, then to enter Mecca and fulfill the rites.

Of course, the Minor Hajj was easier; wearing the pilgrimage garbs, entering Mecca and being at that stated was not too difficult.

However, the Hajj Pilgrimage was too difficult, because one who wore the Hajj garbs, then he could not break it in the middle but until he ended up his rites and after sacrificing on the Day of Scarification at Mina. Then he had to have his hair shaved and circumambulate the House. All these needed time and one had to remain in taboo state for several days. As we got to know that, those who wanted to take the Hajj pilgrimage, could wear the pilgrimage garbs on the first day of Shawwal, which is the day of EID FITR and set out for Mecca. After entering Mecca and circumambulating the House, praying and trotting between the Săfā and Marwa trying not to shave their heads and remain in the pilgrimage garbs. They had to keep away from the women as well all things that are unlawful to them, to remain on that state until they pass away Arafat and Mæsh'ær and the day of sacrificing approaches; then they would take off the pilgrimage garbs an after circumambulating the House they would get free. Sometimes the course lasted for seventy days, this was very difficult, especially for the passengers with the extreme heat in that territory.

In Islam that the laws and rules are based upon difficulty fulfilling these rites were very hard; on the other hand, being under Hajj restriction for seventy days, especially for the young people in such hot land which would increase their natural desire for women. Therefore, those who were on Hajj with their own wives, even in the state of the restriction, would get closer to them and render their Hajj pilgrimage; and above all, they had to pay atone for. And, may Allah prohibit it; those who were single might commit adultery. It was then that their Hajj would turn into the devil actions and damage their spiritual conditions!

And also because of the secrecy we know not, but Allah and His Messenger know it, Allah Almighty commands His Messenger to join the Minor Hajj with the Greater Hajj for those who are not the citizens of Mecca and nearby towns but far away from Mecca. Thus, those who wear the restriction pilgrimage garbs at the appointed place and time, they do not need to go under the restriction for the Hajj, but they must restrict themselves for the Minor Hajj. Then they should go to Mecca and fulfill their rites in a few hours. Since then, they remain free until the eighth of Dhul-Hijja which is the day to go to Mina and Arafat. In that case, they wear the pilgrimage garbs in Mecca and while chanting: ‘There is no deity but Allah’ they set out for Arafat, Mash‘ar and Mina, while there they carry out their Hajj rites with no difficulty and in a very time. The maximum time to fulfill the Minor Hajj actions is travelling the short distance to Mina and Arafat. The time for Hajj is also from ninth to twelfth which the Hajj rites end up. This is quite short time and is called the Enjoyment Hajj. It is called so because between the Minor Hajj and the Greater Hajj one is not under the restriction can enjoy while being with his wife as well as the other restrictions one has to tolerated while wearing the restriction pilgrimage garbs. It is different from the Personal Hajj when one gets under restriction from the appointed place and time and he only fulfills his Hajj.

If one has not taken an animal with him to sacrifice, his Hajj is call personal Hajj, while if one take animals with him his Hajj is called the Qiran Hajj.

And if one goes on a Minor Hajj alone but without being a Greater Hajj after, his Hajj is called as ‘The Personal Minor Hajj’. 

Anyhow, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, set out with the intention of Hajj so did all the Muslims men and women. Before starting the journey they sent letters to all villages and towns that the Messenger of Allah had decided to take the Hajj pilgrimage. The Messenger of Allah himself wrote a letter to Ali, the Commander of the believers, who was sent to Yemen on a mission, saying that: ‘I have decided to go on the Hajj pilgrimage,’ however he did not mention anything about the Minor Hajj, Umra – and no one could imagine what the Minor Hajj was. All the people clothed in the pilgrimage garbs, chanting: ‘Allah is the Greatest,’ and left Medina for Mecca. ^[94]

Nevertheless, as we already mentioned, at the station of SARIF, which was six kilometer to Mecca, the Messenger of Allah commanded that whoever had brought animals with them to sacrifice let him keep his intention and pray and chant: ‘There is no deity but Allah;’ but whoever has not brought animals with him to sacrifice let him change his intention from Hajj pilgrimage to the Minor Hajj and then, with the intention of the Minor Hajj, to begin his Hajj.

The Messenger of Allah, who had a camel with him to sacrifice, remained on his intention, as the Greater Hajj, and went on reciting: ‘There is no deity except Allah,’ unto he reached Mecca and stopped his recitations because he reached Allah’s House and achieved what he wanted.^[95]

Now that they have ended up the rites of the Hajj, have said the prayer of the Hajj, and fulfilled the trotting between the Săfā and Marwa which the pilgrims were afraid of before. The Holiness trotted and trained the people how trot, he finished his trotting and climbed the Mount Marwa and stated: “O Muslim, now Gabriel has descended ^[96] and he is by Allah saying that whoever has not brought his own sacrificing with him, should get free from the restriction of Hajj. It means, whoever has not listen to my command at SArif, and have not bring the sacrificing animals with them and have intended for the Umra, the Minor Hajj. Now, they should consider these two actions of them: circumambulation and trotting as the Umra Hajj and have their hair shaved and get free from the Hajj restriction. However, those who have brought their sacrificing animals with them should remain in the state of restriction until to take their animals to Mina for slaughtering them.’ ^[97]

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The objection of some of the companions about enjoyment Hajj  

He has brought it in “SIRA HALABEIIA” that: Soheili has said: No one of the companions of the Holiness has brought with them the animals to slaughter but only Talha bin Abdullah, and the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace, who had brought it from Yemen. ^[98]

The messenger of Allah commanded: Those who have not brought sacrificing animals, should carry out what is needed for the Minor Hajj and then get free from the restriction state, that is, after having their hair shaved, everything which was unlawful for them becomes lawful – such as: getting close to the wives, using scent and wearing the stitching garment. . They must remain at that state until the day of TAWIIAH, the eighth day, then on that day again to wear their pilgrimage garbs and leave Mecca while saying TALBEIAH, chanting “There is no deity except Allah.”

Some of the companions objected and said:

 نَنْطلقُ إلَى مِنَى وَ ذَكَرُ أحَدِنَا يَقْطُر

and in another word:

 وَ فَرجُهُ يَقْطُرُ مَنيّاً؟ اىْ قَدْ جَامَعَ النّسَاء ^[99]

‘How can we go to Mina now that we have been freed from the restriction of Hajj while we have desires for women and our lust is running!’

Aisha says: ‘I watched the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, feeling furious and I asked him ‘Who has made you so furious?’ May Allah burn him in the hell-fire!’ He said:

  أوَ مَا شَعُرْتِ أنّى أمَرْتُ النّاسَ بِأمرٍ فَاذَا هُم يَتَردّدُون.‏^[100]

The Holiness stated: “have you not understood that I commanded the people to do something but they doubted it?”

When the remark of one of the companions reached him, he stood up and began lecturing that:

فَحَمِد الله تَعَالَى فَقَالَ: أمَّا بَعْدُ فَتُعَلّمُونَ أيّهَا النّاسُ؟! لأنَا و اللهِ أعْلمُكُمْ بِاللهِ وَ أتْقَاكُمْ لَهُ؛ و لَوِ اسْتَقْبَلْتُ مِن أمْرِى مَا اسْتَدْبَرْتُ مَا سُقْتُ هَدْياً وَ لأَحْلَلتُ. ^[101]

وَ فِى رِوَايةٍ قَالُوا: كَيْفَ نَجْعَلُهَا عُمْرَهً وَ قَدْ سَمّيْنَا الْحَجَّ؟

فَقَالَ صَلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ (و آله) وَ سلّم: اقْبَلُوا مَا أمرْتُكُمْ بِهِ، وَ اجْعَلُوا إهْلالَكُمْ بِالْحَجّ عُمْرهً، فَلَوْلا أنّى سُقْتُ الْهَدْى لَفَعَلْتُ مِثْلَ الَّذى أمَرْتُكُمْ بِهِ. فَفَعَلُوا وَ أهَلُّوا، فَفُسِخَ الْحَجّ إلَى الْعُمْرة ^[102]

So after praising Allah the Highest, he stated: “O people! Are you instructing Allah and His Messenger? By Allah, I am closer to Allah than you are, and my piety towards Him is the most. If I already knew the event, I would not bring with me the animal here to sacrifice, and then I would be free from the Hajj restriction as you do!”

And it is related in another narrative that he said: “How came we call this event the Minor Hajj while we had mentioned for the Hajj pilgrimage?”

The Holiness said: “Do accept whatever I am commanding you! Do change your Hajj pilgrimage intention and TABIIAH to the Minor Hajj. If I myself had not brought the animal for sacrifice with me, I would carry out whatever I am commanding you to do.”

Thus, they accepted it, and intended for the Minor Hajj and since then the Hajj pilgrimage combined with the Minor Hajj. 

سُرَافُهُ بْنُ مَالِكِ بْنِ جُعْشُمٍ كِنَانِىّ از آن حضرت پرسيد كه: يَا رَسُولَ الله! مَتّعْتَنَا هَذِهِ لِعَامِنَا هَذا أمْ لِلأبَد؟^[103]

فَشَبّكَ (ص) أصَابِعَهُ؛ فَقَالَ: بَلْ لِلأبَدِ الأبَدِ دَخَلَتِ الْعُمْرةُ فِى الْحَجّ هَكَذا إلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَهِ. وَ فى رواية: فَشَبَّكَ بَيْنَ أصَابِعِه وَاحِدَةً فِى اخْرَى وَ قالَ: دَخَلَتِ الْعُمْرة فِى الْحَجّ هَكَذَا- مَرّتَيْنِ- بَلْ لأبَدِ الأبَد. ^[104]

Sorafa bin Malikbin Josham Ketani asked the Holiness that:

‘O Messenger of Allah! ‘The enjoyment Hajj that we took this year 9which you gave us a chance to enjoy between the two Hajjs of Minor and the Hajj pilgrimage) is durable or it is only for this year?’

While the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, pressed two fingers of his together and was emphasizing his word, said: “It is forever, until the Day of Resurrection, as I have joined these two fingers of mine, the Minor Hajj and the Greater Hajj are together.” And in another narrative it has been said that:

The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, joined two fingers of his hand together and said: “Like these my two fingers, the Minor Hajj and the Greater Hajj are together.”

And it is related in “ILAL-al-WARI” that:

قَامَ إلَيْه رَجُل مِنْ بَنِى عَدِىّ؛ وَ قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ الله! أ نخرجنّ الى مِنَى وَ رُؤُوسُنا تَقْطُرُ مِنَ النّسآءِ؟! فَقَالَ: إنّكَ لَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بَها حَتّى تَمُوت.‏ ^[105]

A man from the ADDI TRIBE stood up in front of the Messenger of Allah and asked: O Messenger! Can we go to the Land of Mina while, after the intercourse with our wives, the drops of our ritual ablution water is running down from our faces?!’

The Messenger of Allah said: “You will not believe this case until you die!”

Mofid has related it in “ERSHAD” that when the Messenger of Allah stated: “Whoever has not brought the animals to slaughter, let him set his intention for Hajj at Umra and get free from the Hajj restriction; while one who has brought the animal with him must keep his intention.” Some of his companions agreed with him but some rejected, and there were a great deal of disputes among them.

Some of them were saying:

رَسُولُ اللهِ أشْعَثُ أغْبَرُ نَلْبَسُ الّثيَابَ وَ نَقْرُبُ النَّسَآءَ وَ نُدَهَّن؟‏

‘[Now that] the Messenger of Allah with such disheveled hair and dusty garment is in such restricted state so how can we change our pilgrimage garbs into our usual garments, oiling our hair and then getting closer to our wives for enjoyment?’ And some of them said:

أمَا تَسْتَحْيُونَ؟ تَخْرُجُونَ وَ رُؤُوسُكمْ تَقْطُرُ مِنَ الْغُسْلِ وَ رَسُولُ اللهِ عَلَى إحْرَامِه؟!‏ 

‘Do you not feel ashamed of your conduct? Appearing in front of the people while because of having the ritual ablutions the drips of water are running down on your faces but still the Messenger of Allah has not brought up his Hajj rites?!

فَأنْكَرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ (ص) عَلَى مَنْ خَالَفَ فِى ذَلِكَ؛ وَ قال: لَوْلا أنّى سُقْتُ الْهَدْىَ لأحْلَلتُ وَ جَعَلْتُهَا عُمْرَهً، فَمَنْ لَمْ يَسُقْ هَدْياً فَلْيحِلَّ. فَرَجَعَ قَوْمٌ وَ أقَامَ آخَرُونَ عَلَى الْخِلافِ؛ وَ كَانَ فِيمَنْ أقَامَ عَلَى الْخِلَافِ لِلنَّبىَّ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ. فَاسْتَدْعَاهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ وَ قَالَ لَهُ: مَالِى أرَاكَ يَا عُمَرُ مُحْرِماً؟ أسُقْتَ هَدْياً؟! قَالَ: لَمْ أسُقْ: قَالَ: فَلِمَ لا تُحِلُّ وَ قَدْ أمَرْتُ مَنْ لَمْ يَسُقْ بِالاحْلالِ!؟ فَقَالَ: وَ اللهِ، يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ! لا أحْلَلْتُ وَ أنْتَ مُحْرِمٌ! فَقَالَ لَهُ النّبِىُّ: إنَّكَ لَمْ تُؤْمِنْ بِهَا حَتَّى تَمُوتَ. فَلِذَلِكَ أقَامَ عَلَى إنْكَارِ مُتْعَهِ الْحَجَّ حَتَّى رَقَا الْمِنْبَرَ فِى إمَارَتِهِ فَنَهىَ عَنْهَا نَهْيَاً مُجَدَّداً وَ تَوَعَّدَ عَلَيْهَا بِالْعِقَاب؟!‏^[106]

The Holiness Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, took their actions unfair and said: “If I myself had not brought animal for sacrificing with me, I would take my greater Hajj as the Minor Hajj and then leave my pilgrimage garbs. So he who has not brought with his the sacrificing animal must get free from the restriction of the Hajj.”

Some of the people took the Messenger’s advice and did what he commanded, but some others took the blind eyes and stood against him. And among those who objected was Omar-al-Khattab.

Therefore, the Messenger of Allah called him in his privacy and told him: “O Omar! Why are you still in the state of the restriction? What! Have you brought with you any animal to sacrifice?” He answered, ‘No; I have not brought it!’ The Messenger of Allah stated: “So why did you not get free from your restricted state? I commanded everyone who had not brought scarification with him to leave his pilgrimage garb!” Omar said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, so far as you are in the state of the Hajj pilgrimage, I will not leave my pilgrimage garb!’ The Holiness told him: “You are not going to believe this action until you die!”

He remained on his false idea until the time of his guardianship when once he climbed the pulpit in the mosque and openly announced it to the gathering. He threatened anyone who would wear the pilgrimage garb at the appointed time and place while taking the Minor Hajj to take the pilgrimage Hajj as well. He threatened that he would give lashes to such people. 

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References

[46] ". سيره زينى دحلان‏", volume 3, page 4.
[47] "البداية و النهاية ", volume 5, page 105. 
[48] "روضة الصّفا", volume 2, the event of the tenth year of the Immigration, mentioning the caring of the Commander of the believers, Ali and the condition of the Monarch for the Time. And "حبيب السِّيَر", volume 1, page 408.
[49] Concerning the virtue of ibn Hisham, volume 4, page 1019 has related that: " وَ بَعَثَ عَلِىَّ بن أبى طالب رضوان الله عليه إلى أهل نجْرانَ لِيجْمَعَ صَدَقَتَهُم، و يَقْدم عليه بِجزيَتِهم‏" . And Tabari has related the same narrative in his History, volume 3, page 147. It is also in "سيره حلبيّه‏", pages 232 and 233.
[50]

[51] "كامل التواريخ ابن أثير", (the Complete History of ibn Athir), volume 2, page 300; and the "ارشاد" of Mofid, page 33; and "اعلام الوَرى‏", page 137.